Fiscal Reform Means Difficult Choices

The need for sweeping, long-term changes in the federal budget has been underscored by recent reports and other developments: A fresh warning on the unsustainable paths of entitlement programs, projections of another trillion-dollar-plus deficit this year, more unrealistic proposals in Congress and on the campaign trail.

In an op-ed last week in the San Jose Mercury News, however, Concord Coalition Executive Director Robert L. Bixby noted some positive signs as well. He again praised 38 House members from both parties, including California Democrat Rep. Jim Costa, for their support of a compromise budget plan based on the work of the bipartisan fiscal commission appointed by President Obama in 2010.

Bixby said the proposal in the House “signaled growing frustration over partisan bickering -- and reflected confidence that average Americans stand ready to support difficult but necessary decisions to put the nation on a more sustainable course.” He also lauded continuing efforts by a bipartisan group of senators known as the “Gang of Six.”

In conducting deficit-reduction exercises with voters around the country, Concord has found that Americans of all ages and backgrounds are willing to accept substantial sacrifices and trade-offs to put the country on a more sustainable path.

Concord and the Mercury News are co-hosting another such exercise Wednesday night in San Jose. The program is open to the public; see concordcoalition.org for details.